I think it was at this show that for the first time I felt bored at a rock concert. I’d bought Boston’s first album when it came out and loved “More Than a Feeling,” “Long Time” and so forth. Played it to death. This tour was in support of their second album, Don’t Look Back, which I didn’t buy and wasn’t familiar with, aside from the title track. I remember this concert featuring way too much from Don’t Look Back and not enough from their debut, and the songs sounding too much like the record and not very “live” to me.
I also was disappointed that the opening act was Sammy Hagar, who I didn’t know at the time, instead of The Knack, who’d opened their date in San Bernardino a few days earlier. I enjoyed Hagar — this was well before he couldn’t drive 55 and turned into a caricature like he is now — but would’ve loved to see The Knack.
It seemed like every person in the arena (except my friends and me) was smoking pot at this show. The whole place was filled with smoke. I bought a tour t-shirt and put it on at the show — hey, I was 12 and didn’t know it’s uncool to do this. I wore the still-unwashed shirt to school the next day and people could still smell marijuana smoke on it, especially when I said, “Hey, smell my shirt.” I thought it made me cool.
Stubs and stories 